SHELBY – What’s better than driving through Main Street traffic, circling time and time again trying to find a street spot to park in, only to realize there is no space for your car?
Walking.
Shelby aims to make that a more possible alternative with its sidewalk replacement program, funded by $20,000 in taxpayer funds. Shelby residents can apply online and the city will replace their damaged sidewalk, if approved.
“We have an income tax for paving that the voters voted on and part of that is to help replace sidewalks,” said Joe Gies, the city’s project coordinator. “So, the council created this sidewalk program and we offer assistance for them to replace sidewalks — not put new ones in.”
To make the budget stretch as far as possible, city officials consider an applicant’s household income to determine how much the city will fund. Sidewalk repair is typically left to homeowners alone, but Shelby officials said they see the value in assisting.
Sidewalk repair groups are not new to Shelby, both in the current replacement program and in volunteer groups.
“Years ago, we had a few volunteer groups that were coming through – church groups – that would ask us, ‘Hey, do you have a need at an underserved area?'” Shelby Mayor Steve Schag said.
“They would go in and take out the old sidewalks and put in the new ones … that’s not in place anymore, but that was a nice way of helping local citizens deal with sidewalk maintenance and repair,” he said.
A fully functional and aesthetically-pleasing sidewalk can help bring new people into the community, as well. With financial help given to homeowners to repair and replace sidewalks, city officials said residents can dedicate funds to renovation, improving the property value of their homes.
“It’s always good to improve sidewalks … and it’s a lot easier for (residents) to get around if their sidewalks are in good shape,” Gies said. “And, with (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines, we need to make them better. This is just another effort for us to get everyone’s sidewalks up to snuff.”
There are several guidelines for sidewalks many wouldn’t consider. The ADA requires slabs must maintain a maximum width of 36 inches, cross slopes must be limited to a maximum of two percent and level changes between adjacent slabs must be less than a quarter-inch, among other guidelines. These guidelines are in place to improve safety along with walkability.
“This is just one part of what we’re trying to do,” Gies said. “It’s law, too. Every time we pave a road, all the curb ramps have to be updated … This is just a way of helping homeowners replace their sidewalk so we can get everyone able to walk and ride on the sidewalk.”
